Two crocodiles rescued from Siolim, Assonora houses

Mapusa: In two separate incidents, Animal Rescue Squad (ARS) volunteers rescued two crocodiles trapped in residences at Siolim-Sodiem and Assonora recently. Animal lovers said that the fact that the two incidents occured in quick succession, is a consequence of human encroachment on wildlife.
Led by John Fernandes, the ARS team rescued a 5.8 foot long crocodile from the Siolim-Sodiem residence of Pavan Kalangutkar.The crocodile may have crawled in from the nearby creek, Fernandes said.
In another incident, an 8.3 foot long crocodile was rescued outside a residence at Parwaddo in Assonora. The ARS team included John Fernandes, Mahendra Naik, Sudesh Chodankar and Gaurav Goltekar.
“Incidents of wild animals trapped inside residences are increasing. We need to start ensuring protection for wildlife too,” said Fernandes, who has been involved in over a hundred rescue operations.